This invention relates to frameless cabinets and more particularly to apparatus for connecting a cabinet door hinge to a cabinet wall of a frameless cabinet.
Frameless cabinet constructions having cabinet walls with doors hingedly connected thereto are well known. German Offenlegungsschrift DE 4405349A1 discloses a structural wall having a recess extending from a front opening into the interior of the wall. The recess communicates with a slot formed in a wall side. A hinge member having flanges is connected to the wall structure by positioning the flanges in the recess and the hinge member per se in the slot communicating with the recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,200, issued Nov. 26, 1991, shows a hinge suitable for use with cabinets having inset doors. The hinge can be installed and adjusted on the door at the installation site. The hinge has hinge wings which are concealed when the door is in the closed position. The hinge includes a clamping plate parallel to a leg of a door wing engageable in a slot in the slotted edge of the door.
The following prior art also is known and believed representative of the current state of the prior art:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,287, issued Apr. 30, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,290, issued Jan. 24, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,141, issued Aug. 15, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,616, issued Jul. 12, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,297, issued Dec. 27, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,165, issued Apr. 28, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. RE. 36.213, issued Jun. 1, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. RE.30,717, issued Aug. 25, 1981, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,077, issued Oct. 1, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,072, issued Oct. 7, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,706, issued May 21, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,877, issued Oct. 13, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,493, issued Feb. 28, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,296, issued Nov. 26, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,532, issued Apr. 14, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,766, issued Nov. 10, 1987, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,006, issued Dec. 11, 1990. A frameless cabinet door hinge is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift DE 4405349A1. Other hinges of some degree of relevance are shown in pages 93 and 112-114 of the 1998 Charles McMurray Catalog.
The prior art indicated above does not teach or suggest the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention relates to apparatus for connecting a cabinet door hinge to a cabinet wall of a frameless cabinet. The apparatus provides a means whereby a variety of different hinges can be attached to the wall; that is, the invention is of a universal character, providing a simple and relatively low cost approach to installation of door hinges of various types to frameless cabinets. The installation is quickly and easily accomplished and the resultant construction is strong and reliable.
According to the invention, a hinge support including an elongated support plate having a distal end is connected to a cabinet wall by first fastener means.
The cabinet wall includes spaced inner and outer wall sides and a wall front extending between the inner and outer wall sides. The cabinet wall defines an opening of predetermined size in the inner wall side spaced from the wall front.
An elongated recess spaced from the wall front communicates with the opening and extends rearwardly from the opening between the wall sides.
An elongated slot is formed in the inner side wall extending along the elongated recess and communicating therewith.
The opening has a vertical dimension greater than the vertical dimension of the elongated recess and the elongated recess has a vertical dimension greater than the vertical dimension of the elongated slot.
The first fastener means which connects the elongated support plate to the cabinet wall comprises a threaded bolt extending from the elongated support plate into the elongated slot at a location spaced from the opening and a fastener member disposed in the elongated recess and releasably threadedly engaged with the bolt.
A portion of the cabinet wall defining the elongated slot is clampingly engaged between the elongated support plate and the fastener member.
Second fastener means releasably connects the second hinge member of a hinge including a first hinge member for attachment to a cabinet door and a second hinge member pivotally connected thereto to the support plate.
Other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.